Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-22

ask more.
$50 should think. Consider it, in
deed don't mind promising to consid-
crit. but can tell you beforehand how
it will end. But what idiotic nonsense
it is. talking about a person I've not
even seen, said the old gentleman testl-
". you've brought my rheumatism
back again.
VI
A SOUTHERN ASPECT.
81 must say" calculated Miss Lu-
ella, drying her eyes, "that you have
very abrupt way of replying to me,
John and | only inquiring about our
marriage, too. | have been here 50
long the Fairfaxes must think 1t so
odd. But you are so abrupt If / say
ANYTHING. Mr.. Puddicombe said TO me
only yesterday.-a kind, sympathetic
mar-that he thought You scarcely un-
derstood me there was a volatility
about you-though | am sure | don't
wish to reproach you, John, dear.
$50 there is" returned the lover
eloomily. "Tm far too volatile; he's
quite right. | wonder you stand it |
wonder you don't throw me over. l
should il / were you
Il hope | am not tickle, said Miss
Morton, adjusting her ringlets with
greater cheerfulness. - should feel
it very bitterly, John-fOr l am no CO.
quette, am sure, though | may have
had inducements to become Onc-lt l
had to blight your life. "
"And what would it matter il You
did blight it? A poor beggar like me .
You ought to have taken somebody
else-somebody with u more assured
position. With your looks, too "
ADDED the deceiver, heaving 4 sigh
but it was an extremely genuine sigh.
As well as profound One-as he gazed
on the charms before him.
at is often only snare to be passa-
BY good-loobing, said Miss Morton,
with a cough. Il do not desire 10 be
beautiful, John; it only attracts where
one has 10 wish to do so. -
"Look at Tuddcombe; he was talk
ing of you yesterday. An extremely
fine woman, Westbrook,' he said 10
me-three times, was it No, 1t was
five. The more see OF her tie more
| admire her. | wish | had Puddi-
combes luck" said the melancholy
one gloomily; it was remark he
seemed to be fond OF recurring to; he
had made It some dozens of times he
fore. II could offer You something
like comfort then. When / look
at my position and then at
his. isn't it enough to make
me dependent ? Look at the respect
he's held in the way he sought after,
only be is such a confirmed bachelor /;
though, as he said to me, only yeSter-
day, he never met his ideal till he saw
YOU. An independent income If that
man married and took to Eousekeep-
ing, what style he could keep up And
to think that it's such a man rs that
WHO saws. the more | see Of her the
more admire her. 10 think that you
should give up opportunities like that
for poor begear OF a struggling doe
tor. It's really hMdly-proper."
odd he say that said Miss Lu-
ella coyly. Foolish, foolish man, to
talk about such things 50 publicly
| and ] anothers, too. l will never,
never desert you account OF poverty,
John though really understoodirom
yonr letter You were doing we'll and
anxious to settle. All, no the only.
only thing that could ever tempt ne to
forsake = lover would be, added Miss
Morton, with slight accession Of
color, dlssimilaTity OF tastes" She
heayed gentle. almost regret
ful, sigh, as her eyes fell on a
figure approaching the house. 10 was
short and stout, and roundabout, but
but it was the figure OF an admirer-
could it be that she now was actually
IN possession of two possibly a
lover, of her own age. 1t would, She
could not deny it, have been apleaSant-
or thing to have married some one
about whom chits OF girls could not
Joke; it would be said the bridegroom
was good deal younger than the bride.
Why had not Mr. Puddicombe present
ed himself before ? And he certainly
WIS "a much more appreciative person-
one who could turn compliment far
more dolicatcly-than Mr. Westbrook.
Il think, john, ] see MI. Puddi-
Combe coming" said Miss LuclllA soft
", and with very conscious uttering
Of the nnglets. " he is here very
often"
"Bis time is oil his own. l wish |
rad his luck. He can so where he
likes and do what he likes and every
body seems to know him, " said the mis-
anthropist.
Eyes, it is very nice for him to have
his time at bis own disposal; II doctor
is at every ones beck and call, as you
are always saying but am afraid You
are of a jealous disposition, john
Perhaps so. But there's time for
me to improve. I'm not thirty-threc
yet" rejoined Mr.. Westbrook. Mis-,
Iucilla WINGED. "By the time I'm
forty or forty-fye l dare say / shall
have sobered down shall be quite
sn old fellow then" said John reck-
ltssly.
cold" repeated Miss Morton, with
flush. lyon do talk absurdly al
times, John. Forty-fiye is not old. -
Folty-fvel l should think not,
indeed" said Mr.. Puddicombe, as he
entered. But no one in this room
except myself-has any right to be
talking Of age and feel myself young
again--a boy, positively, upon my
word--in the presence of such charms.
he bent over Miss Lucilla's hand grace
fully, and she felt that he was charm
ing; here at least was person OF deli,
cpcy and refinement, OF Judgment and
Taste. And she gave utterance to a
sigh.
"Westbrook, my dear madam, is
always talking of disagreeable things
own to sixty-two, and 1 see no reason
why be should Aaunt his youth in my
isce. We are all young in the presence
4 n Il